


The Battle

by KirbyPaint



Series: Tales of Eldrigar [4]
Category: Pathfinder (Roleplaying Game)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-05
Updated: 2015-11-05
Packaged: 2018-04-30 04:01:59
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,080
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5149541
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KirbyPaint/pseuds/KirbyPaint
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Yasuko and Kensuke have a conversation.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Battle

 “Yasuko I think we need to have a talk about some things.”

 

The Meiyoken household had recovered since their daughter’s banishment five or so years ago, but that didn’t mean it still wasn’t tense at times.

 

“What, dear? Is it the budget? I already worked that out for the next eight years.”

 

“No. It’s about us – our family.”

 

“Ah, you’re finally ready to have a kid?” Not _another kid_ , he noticed. A _kid_.

 

“Yes, about that. I’ve been unfaithful, Yasuko. Multiple times. In fact, I don’t even want to be with you anymore.”

 

Yasuko’s eyes widened. “Are you kidding me? Is this a joke?”

 

“No,” he replied, “I haven’t wanted to be with you since the day you kicked my daughter out. You really couldn’t tell? Every moment with you has been agony, every moment without my Yuki, even more so. Frankly, I’m not sure how I’ve made it this long without saying anything.”

 

“Well, I’m not sure what brought this on but I’m sure we can work things out!”

 

“You really don’t know what today is?!” This was it, the final straw. After these years, Kensuke had never felt more enraged. “It’s _our daughter’s birthday! Yuki’s birthday!_ And she’s who-knows-where living with who-knows-what and she’s not with her family _where she should be_!”

 

Yasuko made no indication she’d heard any of this, instead choosing to respond, “Who is Yuki?”

 

Kensuke couldn’t believe the words he had just heard. Yes, acknowledge her banishment, her leaving, her whatever, but at least acknowledge the girl existed.

 

“That’s it! We are officially done! I am leaving you, Yasuko!”

 

“No,” she replied, “you are not allowed to leave me. When we form a union, it is for life and nothing but death will separate us.

 

“Then death it shall be,” he replied, “I am challenging you to a duel to the death for dishonoring my daughter, the trueborn heir to the Ryu-Teikoku throne.”

 

“I’ll gladly accept that duel.”

 

* * *

 

 

The day the Emperor announced his duel to the Empress was a day no one had seen coming, not even the Seer himself. It was a day of mixed emotions – sure, the law _technically_ said that they couldn’t divorce, but wasn’t that what amendments and lawmakers were for?

 

The entire kingdom showed up though, save for those who had small children, and even that didn’t stop most people. Everyone wanted to see the most exciting event this decade (since the ex-Princess’ completion of the Dragon Challenges, of course) but everyone was hoping for a peaceful resolution.

 

The two were already decked out in full battle gear, Kensuke with his glaive (Warframe glaive not the other one) and Yasuko with her whip. Both were fully armored in the Dragon Steel, and both were looking for a deathmatch.

 

“Are you sure you don’t want to concede, Kensuke?”

 

“Not on my daughter’s life, Yasuko.”

 

“Then let us duel.”

 

And they did. Any time Kensuke got farther than a few feet, Yasuko lashed him with her whip, but as soon as he got close, he bashed her with his glaive. And wow, did they give the crowd a show. They both suffered numerous cuts and bruises, though the worst came when Kensuke failed to guard and he took a nasty lash across the forehead. Blood poured into his eyes, but that did not slow him as he proceeded to return the favor, cutting across Yasuko’s forearm and rendering her whip arm useless. She tossed her whip in her other arm, though, and proceeded to keep fighting, though admittedly worse than before.

 

Just as it seemed Kensuke would get a killing blow, having maneuvered right into Yasuko’s weak spot, she kicked up her leg, revealing a dark knife hidden under her boot, and jabbed that right in the back of Kensuke’s knee. The effect was immediate – his left side was not able to hold up his weight any longer, though his right leg made a valiant effort. He eventually crumpled under the weight of his armor – _Though,_ he thought, _this armor weighed hardly anything and he shouldn’t be so weakened… unless the blade was poisoned!_

 

“You… poisoned me?”

 

“Yes, dear. Poison _is_ the woman’s weapon, after all.” She grinned quite the devilish grin and Kensuke found he could no longer remember the woman he had once loved.

 

“Well unfailing love is the man’s weapon and I will not let my daughter’s name be dragged through the mud anymore!” And with that, he gave a final battle cry and jammed his glaive through Yasuko’s face, killing her instantly. He felt extremely saddened by this but knew it was what he had to do. Now he could bring his daughter back…

 

…or so he thought. He collapsed on the ground, coughing up blood, and felt his heart rate rising to levels that should never be felt. A medic rushed to his aid, but knew there was nothing that she could do on such short notice. Well, there was one thing…

 

“Emperor Kensuke, I cannot save you, but if you have any parting words or decrees I can take them now.”

 

She held out a pen and paper, and wrote out his final command. As he died, she turned to the nearest witness and had them write a statement verifying that yes, these were truly the last words of Kensuke Meiyoken. She completed that process a few more times, then, deciding that four witnesses were more than likely enough, walked to the announcer and had him read the words out loud.

 

“I, Emperor Kensuke, as the only living reigning regent, decree my trueborn daughter Yuki, unbanned, effective immediately.”

 

This caused a collective gasp around the kingdom. _Where is Yuki now? Will she finally be allowed to lead us? Who is leading us?_

 

* * *

 

 

Three weeks later, a man arrived on the steps of the palace. Though the kingdom had a few days of turmoil, it quickly re-stabilized as the few backup plans they had kicked into place. This man announced himself as the next heir to the throne, and though people were confused (he looked nothing like a woman, let alone Yuki) they allowed him to take the Dragon Challenges anyway, sure that he’d fail.

 

What they didn’t expect was for him to succeed. The man completed the challenges with flying colors and revealed himself as Takashi… Takashi Meiyoken, the next trueborn heir. Though not everyone accepted him at first, he soon proved himself to the people, just as he did to the dragons above.

**Author's Note:**

> poor yuki


End file.
